Energy, resources
and utilities

We are experienced in acting for a range of clients in the energy and resources sector including utilities, mining and exploration companies and petroleum and LNG companies. Our cross-practice team cover the following areas:

Energy Trading: advice on the trading of electricity and gas both on a physical basis and utilising synthetic products, such as derivatives, as well as the trading of environmental products created under the various schemes operating in Australia as well as on an international basis.

Energy Regulation: advising on the regulation of network revenue, connection to electricity and gas networks and the development of unregulated assets.

Project Development: advising on the development of energy-related assets from pipelines and transportation related infrastructure such as LNG facilities through to power stations and renewable energy facilities.

Mining and Resource Projects: advising on issues arising from the exploration and trading of minerals and petroleum products, including the various regimes governing mineral and resource and petroleum (both conventional and unconventional) extraction, project development and the trading of mineral and petroleum products.

Corporate and commercial advice: capital raisings, public offerings and mergers and acquisitions and preparing a range of commercial agreements including joint venture alliances, shareholder, licence and supply and distribution agreements and general contract preparation and negotiation.

Advising on the stamp duty strategy for a $1.2 billion acquisition of hydro electricity power generators in Victoria and the subsequent divestment that resulted in stamp duty savings of more than $52 million on the acquisition and contributed to a net profit of $652 million on the sales.

Advising a major petroleum company for over 30 years on a range of matters in relation to environmental issues, litigation, property and employment issues.

acting in various share placements, other capital raisings and the proposed demerger of a subsidiary of Admiralty, Rincon Lithium Limited, and the sale (instead of the demerger) of that subsidiary; and

acting in the sale of Admiralty’s of its Chilean wholly-owned controlled entity Contractual Minera Vallenar Iron Company, to Icarus Derivatives.

Preparing and negotiating iron ore sales and shipping contracts and advising on proposed farm out arrangements, requests for tenders and financing arrangements.

Undertaking due diligence in respect of significant proposed acquisitions and mergers in the resources sector including the coal, petroleum and LNG sectors.

Advising petroleum companies in relation to refining operations and compliance, negotiating licence renewals and preparing environmental improvement plans and sustainability covenants as well as the management of, and liability for contamination.

Negotiating with the EPA in relation to allocation of environmental liability, under clean‑up and pollution abatement notices.